Petition seeks better signal, internet at Batangas terminal

CALAPAN CITY— A Change.Org petition has been launched seeking improved mobile phone signal and internet connectivity at the Batangas Passenger Terminal, citing passengers’ growing reliance on digital services while traveling.

The petition, titled “Improve Mobile Signal and Internet Connectivity at Batangas Passenger Terminal,” calls on the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA), terminal operator Asian Terminals Inc. (ATI), Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), National Telecommunications Commission (NTC), and telecommunications companies Globe Telecom, Smart Communications, and DITO Telecommunity to coordinate efforts to address weak and unreliable connectivity inside the terminal.

The campaign was initiated by Romblomanon commuter and NGO leader Rodne R. Galicha, who said this sprung from his personal experience and concerns raised by passengers using Batangas Port as a major gateway to Romblon and other island destinations.

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“Most passengers already pay for their own mobile data, but inside a major transport terminal, the service can still become weak or unreliable,” Galicha said.

“Reliable connectivity now affects how we pay, access travel information, and communicate with our families while in transit. We hope the concerned agencies, the terminal operator, and telcos can sit down and work on practical solutions,” the petition says.

According to the petition, passengers have difficulty accessing mobile data in parts of the terminal, while free Wi-Fi may also become limited during periods of heavy passenger traffic.

Poor connectivity can affect access to electronic tickets, booking confirmations, vessel schedules, weather advisories, banking applications, e-wallets, transportation arrangements, and communication with family members.

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It can also disrupt cashless transactions at stores and restaurants inside the terminal, including payments through GCash, Maya, QR-based systems, and online banking.

The petition noted that many passengers already maintain prepaid data packages or postpaid subscriptions and are seeking better indoor network coverage so they can use the mobile services they are paying for while inside the transport hub.

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The campaign also cited increases in the Batangas Passenger Terminal fee, from P30 to P60 in January 2026 and to P90 beginning July 2026.

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While recognizing the costs of operating and maintaining a modern passenger facility, the petition said digital connectivity should keep pace with improvements in passenger services.

It proposed measures including a comprehensive assessment of mobile signal and internet capacity, a radio-frequency survey, stronger indoor cellular coverage, higher-capacity public Wi-Fi and reliable connectivity for establishments operating inside the terminal.

The petition also recommends evaluating technologies such as distributed antenna systems, neutral-host DAS, small cells and enterprise-grade Wi-Fi, subject to technical assessments and safeguards for port communications, security and operational systems.

It said potential concerns over radio-frequency interference could be addressed through engineering measures such as frequency coordination, filtering, controlled transmission power, appropriate antenna placement and separation of public, merchant and operational networks.

The campaign cited previous efforts to improve passenger services at Batangas Port. In 2024, passenger concerns were raised through the Mimaropa Regional Development Council Executive Committee Technical Working Group on Seamless Intermodal Access of Passengers and Ships in Batangas Port.

The group brought together government agencies and other stakeholders and contributed to subsequent improvements in passenger access and drop-off arrangements, according to the petition.

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“We saw in 2024 that improvements can happen when passenger experience is brought to the proper agencies, and there is genuine coordination. We hope connectivity can be approached in the same constructive way,” Galicha said./coa